Book Reviews, American Idol, Things…
Just a few things I wanted to get down. Before I get on to important things — American Idol. Last night they sent home Amanda “The Skunk” Overmyer. No big surprise. She has a vaguely Janis Jopliln like growling voice - is either afraid to, or incapable of, carrying an actual tune, and that is not what fits the “Idol Mold” - so she’s out. It was her or Kristi “Crazy Eyes” Cook. That girl can’t dance…has no idea what to do with herself, and just sings “whatever” with no emotional involvement at all. If she’d show half a spark, she might actually blow Simon “out of his socks” as promised, but I don’t see it happening.
Our favorites are Brook “the Sunshine girl” White and Jason “Dreads” Castro. David Archuleta is very good, and destined for fame, but there is something “cool’ and real about the other two - probably actual investment in the music - a bit of emotion behind what they are doing - it’s very real with them. Also surprising us was Chikezie, who we didn’t care for at all early on, and have come to appreciate during (of all times) Lennon, McCartney, and Beatles weeks…good voice, very entertaining.
So here is my early-on prediction. Crazy Eyes will leave us next, then the Australian guy, who can’t seem to remember that he can sing about every other week. The little short girl with the big voice from the Philippines will go after that, and then — unless she picks up her game - Syesha. Our top five pick is Jason Castro, Brook White, David Archuleta, Carly Smithson (the Irish girl has PIPES) and David Cook, who vaguely reminds me of the guy from the Goo Goo Dolls, and who overcomes the weakness of the band during rock numbers by playing guitar himself.
Onward.
I’ve posted two new book reviews. One is an older review that I did for Cemetery Dance Magazine a few years back. It’s a review of Weston Ochse’s SCARECROW GODS - the winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best first novel - and deservedly so. It’s a rich, decadent, and very literate first novel. It will be released again later this year as an affordable trade paperback, so I’m getting my review up now and will give you all a nod and a link when the time comes to order. I’ll also (soon) have a five question interview with Weston - who by the way - shows up as a character in my new book. He and his “Scary Rednecks” co-author David Whitman have become Wes & Dave - inbred albino geniuses with a penchant for genetic tampering. 
Also posted today are my reviews of Ray Garton’s very sick (but with a mesage!) novellas - The Folks and The Folks 2 - both from Cemetery Dance, signed hardcovers. Fun stuff. Go and read the reviews…
Buy the books at THE HORROR MALL!
–DNW
03/20/08, 10:12 PM |
I’ve only read a few of Ray Garton’s short tales, and they don’t much stand out in memory. But I’d like to read more of his work as he seems to touch on some pretty disturbing material.
03/21/08, 6:20 AM |
Ray has been around forever, but there’s only so much time, and I’ve neglected reading enough to really form an opinion…this was a start, I reckon.
D